Ulster failed to record their first win on French soil yesterday, narrowly going down 24-19 to Stade Français in a Heineken Cup dead rubber, but with both sides' chances of making the quarter- finals already extinguished it was only pride at stake at the Stade Jean-Bouin.

Despite dominating the first 40 minutes – and leading at the break 8-6, Ulster were on the back foot in the second half as Juan Manuel Leguizamon crossed the line and Lionel Beauxis kicked his third and fourth penalties to give the Parisian aristocrats the lead. Clinton Schifcofske landed his second penalty eight minutes from time to draw Ulster within three points, but Mark Gasnier's breakaway try clinched Stade the win, despite a late try by Nigel Brady.

Munster's Heineken Cup match at Montauban, meanwhile, will be played at 1pm today after the Pool One encounter was postponed due to bad weather.

In the European Challenge Cup, London Irish won 23-9 at Rovigo, with tries by Kieran Roche, Adam Thompstone and Dominic Shabbo ensuring the Exiles remained unbeaten in Pool One as their opponents failed to score a try. It was also a good day for English sides at home to continental clubs with Northampton trouncing Toulon 52-11 at Franklin's Gardens and Worcester hammering Petrarca 68-17 at the Sixways Stadium for both clubs to claim the top spot in their respective pools, Two and Three.

Bath will today be hoping to avenge their agonising 18-16 loss in Toulouse three months ago when they again take on last season's runners-up in the Heineken Cup. A win for the West Country club will secure them a home quarter-final, however, Bath will be missing Matt Stevens, with the prop suspended for failing a drugs test last month.

Wasps potentially face a more treacherous quarter-final route. A bonus-point victory away to Castres should see the Londoners through, but they cannot top the group if Leinster claim a five-point maximum against Edinburgh in Dublin.